Episode #2 - Another teacher-friend of mine is handing out textbooks to her class when a girl returns hers to get another one because that one has "something in it." Being the smart teacher she is, my friend waits for all the students to leave before investigating the issue, and what did she find? A condom. Not just any condom, people - one that appeared to be used.
I laughed at these situations heartily, partly because they didn't happen to me. We all made our fair share of comments. ("eewwww," "at least they used protection," "at least they had their English book with them")
But then later I heard some freshmen discussing A Night in Paris (aka Paris Hilton's film debut) with more information than they should know at 14. My point in telling you this? I feel archaic making this comment, but kids know way too much way too early these days. Many of the students I teach are probably more knowledgeable about sex - kinky sex - now than I was at 20, 24, who knows, maybe even now. My worry is that kids are not mature enough to deal with it.
The same kids who gasp and freak out when I refer to literary characters as being sexually active are having sex themselves. A lot of it. Is there something weird about that?
Curiosity is a natural thing, and I know I teach kids who are literally a bundle of hormones, but it seems as though they are learning too much too fast, and they don't know how to handle it. A quick search for statistics will tell you:
- In the next 24 hours, 2,795 teenage girls will become pregnant.
- More teenage girls are having sex than boys. (maybe they feel more pressure to act grown up, satisfy upperclassmen who flatter them...I don't know.)
- According to the CDC, 65% of new HIV cases this year will occur in people under 24.
- Currently, 32 states do not require any type of sex education.
My point is....is there really a problem here or are people like me just reading something that's not there? If there is a problem, who is a fault? Parents, schools, the media, the kids themselves who are not taking responsibility?
Weigh in. I'd love to hear your thoughts.
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5 comments:
32 states??? Holy crap. And I'm sure Texas is one of them (hangs head in shame). I agree that they know way more than they should. I was quite disturbed by it when I taught high school.
And the weirdest thing that ever happened to me:
A boy in my 1st period World Lit class forgot his book bag outside in the hall. I generaously offered to pick it up and bring it to him since he was already seated. I unfortunately took hold of the flap of the bag as opposed to the handle and porn came spilling out. Several very unpleasant magazines that made me turn read and made the principal call his mama.
I don't miss those days. LOL
All kinds of typos in that post that I'm just going to ignore completely. I hope you'll do the same.
:D
I 2nd the "32 states??? Holy crap" comment. Please tell me you are kidding. I don't have children and it's been a good 25-30 years since I had a SexEd class in school but that figure absolutely shocks me.
Thanks for the laughs up until that part.
Another Dread Clampitt fan,
Jamie
When the media makes Paris, Nicole, and Lindsay the most popular girls on TV, how do we expect teenagers to act? Plenty of 'important' people have been caught with child porn or commiting some sort of sex act, making all of that 'ok' as well in teens eyes. It's scary, but culture has changed and continues to change. It's become to excepting of drugs, sex, etc.
This is a really BIG problem! In my opinion it is out of control. I don't think that its just one person to blame. Our parents are not teaching biblical values. Our school systems are teaching "just use a condom." And the media has plastered sex everywhere. Sexually humor is in everything. All these things combined are deadly in my opinion. Our kids don't stand a chance out there.
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